What else can you do in 2 minutes? 15 eclipse-size ideas

Eclipse observers will be able to see four planets and some bright stars and constellations during the totality, the two-minute phase when the moon completely blocks the sun's light.
Ayrika Whitney/USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee

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A cup of coffee takes less than 2 minutes to heat up in the microwave.(Photo: Chris Smith / The Leaf-Chronicle)Buy Photo

Here are 15 ideas, many of them terrible, but they will take 2 minutes:

1. Heat up your coffee. A cup of day-old Joe will take about 1:20 to microwave to steaming. If you take it with cream and sugar, that's about a 2-minute task. If you drink it black, just stand there for a moment, take a sip, and bask in the 30 seconds that life just handed you.

Bonnie Tyler: June 8, 1951.(Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

2. Listen to less than half of "Total Eclipse of the Heart." Bonnie Tyler big torch song lasts a swooning 4:30. At 2 minutes, you'll make it to "Together we can take it to the end of the line / Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time," just before the first big crescendo. (There are a few aren't there?)

A worker Ronnie Browning puts up a 70 mph sign on Interstate 24.(Photo: The Leaf-Chronicle)

3. Drive 2 miles on Interstate 24 at 60 mph. Now, if you tried to drive 60 mph on I-24 you'd be run over, or at least scorned by fellow travelers. Instead, drive 70 mph. That would take you 2.3 miles in 2 minutes. Now, you might ask, What if I drive 80 mph? But don't ask that — we don't speak of such things.

4. Read the front page. So there's big news about Kroger canceling plans for the new store, a feature on an awesome veteran talking about his collection of World War II memorabilia, police talking about their safety plans for the eclipse, and coverage of a murder trial involving a soldier. That's a lot of news, but you could probably read the front in 2 minutes. Give yourself another three for the jumps.

5. Streak. In the 1970s, in the days before social media, it was a bit of a thing to take one's clothes off and run across some public place, such as a sporting event, or a political rally, or a total solar eclipse watching party. But seriously, don't do that. Seriously.

Disney Legends Mark Hamill, left, as Luke Skywalker, and Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia Organa, along with Harrison Ford as Han Solo in 1977's original 'Star Wars.'(Photo: 20th Century Fox)

6. Watch the intro to "Star Wars." The intro, including "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, away ..." along with the scrolling "Episode IV: A New Hope" chatter, takes exactly 2 minutes. The dramatic opening shot takes another 30 seconds before the Star Destroyer's first big hit on Princess Leia's cruiser. The best 2 minutes in cinematic history.

Great American Cookie Company Chocolate Chip cookies(Photo: Provided by Great American Cookie Company)

7. Eat a big cookie. Not a Keebler's cookie — that would take maybe 30 seconds. And not one of those massive watermelon-size things you get at the mall. But a nice, chunky chocolate chip cookie about the size of your palm. (Now go wash all the chocolate off your palm.)

8. Enjoy a commercial break. You could do this. Commercial breaks last 2 to 3 minutes. You might want to know more about the potential side effects of Lipitor, or you might find that poor old dad not getting a waffle really funny even after the 15th time. Or you might want to pick absolutely anything else you can find on this list.

9. Kiss your boyfriend. Ladies (or guys, whatever), you should seriously consider kissing your BF (or GF — live your life) for about 2 minutes at least once a day. Though you might first consider ...

11. Release lightning bugs. What will they do? Will they ignite their little green bottoms, or will they still be asleep? Will they wake up when the sky goes dark? What if you shake the peanut butter jar and flick them out?

Buddy Holly and the Crickets during an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.(Photo: NONE, NONE)

12. Listen to "Dearest" by Buddy Holly. It clocks in at 1:53, giving you seven seconds to say "Wow, he was amazing." Or, if you prefer, there's the Rolling Stones version of the Buddy Holly hit "Not Fade Away," which the Stones clipped down to 1:48. Meh, they play faster.

13. Briskly walk or slowly jog two football fields. You'd have to move at just over 3 mph, and many of us might pass out before we hit the second end zone.

14. Saute garlic to fragrant stage over medium heat. After that, you might add fresh spinach, or maybe zucchini, or rice. Just be sure to have that stuff ready before your 2 minutes are up or you'll live with regret over your scorched garlic.

Fun with silly string makes for a great summer afternoon.(Photo: Getty Images)

15. Have a Silly String fight. Nothing says total solar eclipse like a blast of Silly String in your hair. If you do it right, you should use up the entire $6 can in about 2 minutes. It's worth it. So worth it.

If you do any of these things, or anything else in under 2 minutes as long as it's legal, share me a photo or video! I'm at cssmith@gannett.com or on Twitter @cssmithwrites.